News Desk

NEPO baby influencer Gabriella Bardsley has been spotted working at a charity shop in Cheshire as part of her community service assignment.

The 23-year-old daughter of Real Housewives of Cheshire star Tanya Bardsley was handed the court order after pleading guilty to drink-driving last summer.

Gabriella admitted to being almost three-and-a-half times over the alcohol limit behind the wheel of her Audi A3.

Taking her good character into account, Crewe Magistrates’ Court court handed Gabriella an order to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

Now, she has been seen carrying out community service work in The Salvation Army charity shop in Wilmslow.

Donning leggings with a pair of Ugg shoes and a faux fur coat, Gabriella had her hair tied into a ponytail as she helped out.

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Looking less than happy to be there, she was snapped scrolling through her phone on the shop floor, before helping out by folding a pair of jeans.

In May, Gabriella was pulled over and instructed to take a road-side breath test while driving, which she refused.

She was then taken to a nearby police station and was found to have 122 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath – the UK legal limit being only 35 micrograms.

Crewe Magistrates’ Court was later told how she had approached the scene of a road traffic collision in Wilmslow and “attempted to drive through the police blockade”.

Charlie Hayward, prosecuting, said when officers approached her she was visibly intoxicated and “slurring her words” and “struggling” to stand on her feet.

However, her lawyer Gary Hughes told the court that she was of “hitherto good character” – which played a part in her sentencing of community service and a driving ban.

Gabriella’s stepdad is ex-Manchester United footballer Phil Bardsley.

The influencer appears on ITVX series The Bardsley Bunch alongside her famous parents and younger brothers Rocco, Renz and Ralphi.

Her stepdad Phil began his career at Man Utd before joining Sunderland in 2008.

He also played for the Scottish national team before hanging up his boots for good in 2023.

Global markets rarely reveal their vulnerabilities quietly. They do so when shipping lanes come under threat, energy prices surge, or supply chains fracture. Few regions illustrate this reality more starkly than the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which are now among the world’s most contested maritime corridors. What unfolds along these waters no longer remains local. It shapes economic security across the Arab world and far beyond.

Yet, amid growing attention to this strategic corridor, one factor remains persistently underestimated: Somalia.

For decades, Somalia was viewed primarily through the lens of conflict and fragility. That narrative no longer reflects today’s reality. The country is undergoing a consequential transition, moving away from prolonged instability, rebuilding state institutions, and re-emerging as a sovereign actor with growing regional relevance. Situated at the intersection of the Arab world, Africa, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden, Somalia is not peripheral to regional stability; it is central to it.

Geography alone explains much of this significance. With the longest coastline in mainland Africa, Somalia lies adjacent to the Bab al-Mandeb passage connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean. A substantial share of global maritime trade and energy shipments passes through this corridor. Disruptions along Somalia’s coast, therefore, have immediate implications for shipping reliability, energy markets, and food security — issues of direct concern to Gulf states and Arab economies.

For the Arab world, Somalia should be understood not as distant terrain but as a front-line partner in regional security. Stability along Somalia’s coastline helps contain threats before they reach the Arabian Peninsula, whether in the form of violent extremism, illicit trafficking networks, piracy, or the entrenchment of hostile external military presences along Africa’s eastern flank.

Somalia is not attempting to build stability from scratch. Despite persistent challenges, tangible progress has been made. Federal governance structures are functioning. National security forces are undergoing professionalisation. Public financial management has improved. Diplomatically, Somalia has reasserted itself within the Arab League, the African Union, and multilateral forums. These gains continue to be built on daily and reflect a clear commitment to sovereign statehood, territorial unity, and partnership rather than dependency. Somalia today seeks strategic alignment grounded in mutual interest, not charity.

Somalia’s relevance also extends beyond security. Its membership in the East African Community integrates the country into one of the world’s fastest-growing population and consumer regions. East Africa’s rapid demographic expansion, urbanisation, and economic integration position Somalia as a natural bridge between Gulf capital and African growth markets.

There is a clear opportunity for Somalia to emerge as a logistics and transshipment gateway linking the Gulf, the Red Sea, East Africa and the Indian Ocean. With targeted investments in ports, transport corridors, and maritime security, Somalia can become a critical node in regional supply chains supporting trade diversification, food security, and economic resilience across the Arab world.

At the heart of Somalia’s potential is its dynamic population. More than 70 percent of Somalis are aged below 30. This generation is increasingly urban, digitally connected, and entrepreneurial. Somali traders and business networks already operate across Southern and Eastern Africa, spanning logistics, finance, retail, and services. A large and dynamic diaspora across the Gulf, Europe, North America, and Africa further amplifies this reach through remittances, investment, and transnational expertise.

None of these momentums, however, can be sustained without security. A capable, nationally legitimate Somali security sector is the foundation for durable stability, investment confidence, and regional integration.

For Gulf states and the wider Arab world, supporting Somalia’s security sector is therefore not an act of altruism. It is a strategic investment in a reliable stabilising partner. Effective Somali security institutions contribute directly to safeguarding Red Sea and Gulf of Aden maritime corridors, countering transnational terrorism before it reaches Arab shores, protecting emerging logistics infrastructure, and denying external actors opportunities to exploit governance vacuums. Such support must prioritise institution-building, Somali ownership, and long-term sustainability, not short-term fixes or proxy competition.

The stakes are rising. The Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden are entering a period of heightened strategic contestation. Fragmentation along their African coastline poses a direct risk to Arab collective security. Recent developments underscore this urgency.

Israel’s unilateral recognition of the northern Somali region of Somaliland, pursued outside international legal frameworks and without Somali consent, is widely viewed as an attempt to secure a military foothold along these strategic waters, risking the introduction of the Arab-Israeli conflict into the Gulf’s security environment.

Even more troubling are emerging narratives advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, with proposals to relocate them to Somaliland against their will. Such ideas, whether formally advanced or not, represent grave violations of international law and human dignity. Exporting the consequences of occupation and war onto African soil would not resolve conflict; it would multiply it.

For the Arab world, this should serve as a wake-up call. Allowing external actors to fragment sovereign states or instrumentalise fragile regions for unresolved conflicts carries long-term consequences. Somalia’s unity and stability, therefore, align squarely with core Arab strategic interests and with longstanding Arab positions on sovereignty, justice and self-determination.

Somalia is ready to be part of the solution. With calibrated strategic support, particularly in security sector development and logistics infrastructure, Somalia can emerge as a cornerstone of Red Sea and Gulf of Aden stability, a gateway to East Africa, and a long-term partner for the Arab world.

The question is no longer whether Somalia matters in the regional and global Red Sea and Gulf of Aden discussions and plans. It is whether the region will act on that reality before others do.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

Palestinian medics say several of the 54 bodies were found to be mutilated and showed extensive signs of abuse.

Israel has returned dozens of Palestinian bodies and human remains to Gaza without providing any information about their identities or how they were killed, according to Palestinian medical officials.

The remains arrived at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Wednesday in plain white bags and are now being examined by forensic teams in an effort to identify them and provide answers to grieving families.

“The bags carry the weight of lives lost. Now they’re undergoing examination, prolonging the grief of families desperate for closure,” Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim al-Khalili reported from al-Shifa Hospital on Saturday.

Palestinian medics say several bodies were mutilated.

“The International Committee of the Red Cross handed over 120 body bags containing 54 bodies as well as skull samples placed in 66 separate bags,” forensic official Omar Suleiman told Al Jazeera.

Previous exchanges of Palestinian prisoners’ bodies have revealed extensive signs of abuse, with many showing indications of torture, mutilation and execution.

In November, the rights group Physicians for Human Rights-Israel released a report saying at least 94 Palestinian detainees have died in Israeli custody, citing causes including torture, medical neglect, malnutrition and physical assault.

The group said the actual toll could be significantly higher.

‘Missing for 10 months’

For many Palestinians, the search for missing relatives has shifted from streets and rubble to computer screens and improvised identification centres.

At al-Shifa, Shadi al-Fayoumi scrolled through blurred and graphic images, hoping to spot anything recognisable that might tell him what happened to his brothers.

“My brothers have been missing for 10 months. They disappeared in the Tuffah neighbourhood,” al-Fayoumi, whose brothers remain missing, told Al Jazeera.

“I went to al-Shifa Medical Complex, where we were told there were bodies we could try to identify. However, the images were unclear and lacked discernible features. How are we expected to identify them under these conditions?”

According to al-Fayoumi, his brothers had gone in search of food and water during the peak of the famine last year but never returned.

“We contacted multiple institutions, but none was willing to help or provide reliable information,” al-Fayoumi added.

Al Jazeera’s al-Khalili said al-Fayoumi’s mother has been “inconsolable”.

“His brothers’ children are silent, unwilling to voice their worst fears. Israeli forces hand over the bodies of Palestinians with little regard for human dignity,” he added.

“There is no information on how they died or how long they were held, leaving Palestinians with not only their grief but unanswered questions.”

“Sinners” has made Oscars history.

The 98th Academy Award nominations were announced Thursday and Ryan Coogler’s musical horror earned 16 overall nominations, breaking the record for the most nominations for a film previously held by “All about Eve” (1950), “Titanic” (1997) and “La La Land” (2016). “Sinners’” nominations include best picture, directing, original screenplay and individual acting nods for stars Michael B. Jordan, Wunmi Mosaku and Delroy Lindo.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s comedic political thriller “One Battle After Another” followed with 13 total nominations, which included nods for picture, directing, adapted screenplay and actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn.

Yorgos Lanthimos’ alien comedy “Bugonia,” Chloé Zhao’s tragic Shakespeare drama “Hamnet,” Joseph Kosinski’s racing drama “F1,” Guillermo del Toro’s gothic monster mash “Frankenstein,” Josh Safdie’s ping-pong picture “Marty Supreme,” Brazilian political thriller “The Secret Agent,” Norwegian family drama “Sentimental Value” and Clint Bentley’s lyrical period piece “Train Dreams” rounded out the nominees for best picture.

Performers from both “The Secret Agent” and “Sentimental Value” also earned acting nominations, making it another banner year for international features. Other top nominees include “Frankenstein,” “Marty Supreme” and “Sentimental Value,” which earned nine nods apiece.

Actors Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman announced the nominations at the academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. See the full list of nominees below.

Best picture
“Bugonia”
“F1”
“Frankenstein”
“Hamnet”
“Marty Supreme”
“One Battle After Another”
“The Secret Agent”
“Sentimental Value”
“Sinners”
“Train Dreams”

Actress in a leading role
Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet”
Rose Byrne, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”
Kate Hudson, “Song Sung Blue”
Renate Reinsve, “Sentimental Value”
Emma Stone, “Bugonia”

Actor in a leading role
Timothée Chalamet, “Marty Supreme”
Leonardo DiCaprio, “One Battle After Another”
Ethan Hawke, “Blue Moon”
Michael B. Jordan, “Sinners”
Wagner Moura, “The Secret Agent”

Actress in a supporting role
Elle Fanning, “Sentimental Value”
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, “Sentimental Value”
Amy Madigan, “Weapons”
Wunmi Mosaku, “Sinners”
Teyana Taylor, “One Battle After Another”

Actor in a supporting role
Benicio del Toro, “One Battle After Another”
Jacob Elordi, “Frankenstein”
Delroy Lindo, “Sinners”
Sean Penn, “One Battle After Another”
Stellan Skarsgård, “Sentimental Value”

Directing
Chloé Zhao, “Hamnet”
Josh Safdie, “Marty Supreme”
Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another”
Joachim Trier, “Sentimental Value”
Ryan Coogler, “Sinners”

Adapted screenplay
“Bugonia,” Will Tracy
“Frankenstein,” Guillermo del Toro
“Hamnet,” Chloé Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell
“One Battle After Another,” Paul Thomas Anderson
“Train Dreams,” Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar

Original screenplay
“Blue Moon,” Robert Kaplow
“It Was Just an Accident,” Jafar Panahi
“Marty Supreme,” Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein
“Sentimental Value,” Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt
“Sinners,” Ryan Coogler

Documentary feature
“The Alabama Solution”
“Come See Me in the Good Light”
“Cutting Through Rocks”
“Mr. Nobody Against Putin”
“The Perfect Neighbor”

Documentary short
“All the Empty Rooms”
“Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud”
“Children No More: ‘Were and Are Gone’”
“The Devil Is Busy”
“Perfectly a Strangeness”

Animated feature
“Arco”
“Elio”
“KPop Demon Hunters”
“Little Amélie or the Character of Rain”
“Zootopia 2”

Animated short
“Butterfly”
“Forevergreen”
“The Girl Who Cried Pearls”
“Retirement Plan”
“The Three Sisters”

Cinematography
“Frankenstein,” Dan Laustsen
“Marty Supreme,” Darius Khondji
“One Battle After Another,” Michael Bauman
“Sinners,” Autumn Durald Arkapaw
“Train Dreams,” Adolpho Veloso

Costume design
“Avatar: Fire and Ash,” Deborah L. Scott
“Frankenstein,” Kate Hawley
“Hamnet,” Malgosia Turzanska
“Marty Supreme,” Miyako Bellizzi
“Sinners,” Ruth E. Carter

Film editing
“F1,” Stephen Mirrione
“Marty Supreme,” Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie
“One Battle After Another,” Andy Jurgensen
“Sentimental Value,” Olivier Bugge Coutté
“Sinners,” Michael P. Shawver

International feature
“It Was Just an Accident” (France)
“The Secret Agent” (Brazil)
“Sentimental Value” (Norway)
“Sirāt” (Spain)
“The Voice of Hind Rajab” (Tunisia)

Live-action short
“Butcher’s Stain”
“A Friend of Dorothy”
“Jane Austen’s Period Drama”
“The Singers”
“Two People Exchanging Saliva”

Makeup and hairstyling
“Frankenstein,” Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey
“Kokuho,” Kyoko Toyokawa, Naomi Hibino and Tadashi Nishimatsu
“Sinners,” Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine and Shunika Terry
“The Smashing Machine,” Kazu Hiro, Glen Griffin and Bjoern Rehbein
“The Ugly Stepsister,” Thomas Foldberg and Anne Cathrine Sauerberg

Original score
“Bugonia,” Jerskin Fendrix
“Frankenstein,” Alexandre Desplat
“Hamnet,” Max Richter
“One Battle After Another,” Jonny Greenwood
“Sinners,” Ludwig Göransson

Original song
“Dear Me” from “Diane Warren: Relentless”
“Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters”
“I Lied to You” from “Sinners”
“Sweet Dreams of Joy” from “Viva Verdi!”
“Train Dreams” from “Train Dreams”

Production design
“Frankenstein”
“Hamnet”
“Marty Supreme”
“One Battle After Another”
“Sinners”

Sound
“F1”
“Frankenstein”
“One Battle After Another”
“Sinners”
“Sirāt”

Visual Effects
“Avatar: Fire and Ash”
“F1”
“Jurassic World Rebirth”
“The Lost Bus”
“Sinners”

Casting
“Hamnet”
“Marty Supreme”
“One Battle After Another”
“The Secret Agent”
“Sinners”

Riyadh condemns RSF’s ‘criminal’ attacks in Kordofan, blames foreign fighters and weapons for fuelling Sudan’s three-year conflict.

Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed its support for Sudan’s territorial unity and integrity, denouncing “criminal attacks” by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in North and South Kordofan states that have killed dozens of people, including women and children.

In a statement on Saturday, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned “foreign interference” by “some parties” in Sudan, including the “continued influx of illegal weapons, mercenaries and foreign fighters” for the continuation of the nearly three-year-old war.

The statement did not specify the parties, though.

It came a day after the Sudan Doctors Network, a humanitarian group, said a drone attack by the RSF on a vehicle transporting displaced families in North Kordofan killed at least 24 people, including eight children.

The attack followed a series of drone raids on humanitarian aid convoys and fuel trucks across North Kordofan, including an assault on a World Food Programme convoy on Friday that killed at least one person.

Fighting between the RSF and Sudan’s army has intensified across Kordofan in recent months following the fall of el-Fasher to the paramilitary group in October. The nearly three-year-long conflict has killed an estimated 40,000 people and pushed more than 21 million — almost half of Sudan’s population — into acute food shortages.

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday the deadly RSF attacks “are completely unjustifiable and constitute flagrant violations of all humanitarian norms and relevant international agreements”.

The ministry demanded that “RSF immediately cease these violations and adhere to its moral and humanitarian obligation to ensure the delivery of relief aid to those in need in accordance with international humanitarian law” and a ceasefire deal agreed by the warring parties in Jeddah in 2023.

It added that “some parties” were fuelling the conflict by sending in weapons and fighters, despite “these parties’ claim of supporting a political solution” in Sudan.

The statement comes amid allegations by the Sudanese government that the United Arab Emirates has been arming and funding the RSF. Sudan filed a case against the UAE at the International Court of Justice last year, accusing it of “complicity in genocide” committed by the RSF against the Masalit community in West Darfur state.

The UAE has denied the allegations.

Separately, Saudi Arabia has also accused the UAE of backing the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Yemen. The STC, initially part of the Saudi-backed internationally recognised government of Yemen, launched a major offensive last December in the country’s Hadramout and al-Mahra provinces, seeking to establish a separate state.

The offensive resulted in a split in Yemen’s internationally-backed government, and prompted Saudi Arabia to launch deadly raids targeting the STC.

The UAE pulled out its troops from Yemen following the Saudi allegation, saying it supports Saudi Arabia’s security.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE were members of the Arab military coalition, formed to confront the Houthis, who took full control of the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, in 2015.

The first round of Iran-US talks in Muscat produced no breakthrough. The next few weeks will determine whether they laid foundations or merely bought time before escalation.

When Iranian and American negotiators concluded several hours of talks in Muscat on February 6, publicly, neither side signalled any shift from its opening position. Iran insisted the discussions focus exclusively on the nuclear file. The United States arrived seeking a comprehensive framework that would also cover ballistic missiles, regional armed groups, and more broadly, issues Washington has raised publicly, including human rights concerns. Neither prevailed. Both agreed to meet again.

On the surface, this looks like a non-event. It was not.

The Muscat round was the first high-level diplomatic engagement between the two countries since the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, an escalation that Iran later said killed more than 1,000 people and involved strikes on three nuclear sites. That the two sides returned to the same palace near Muscat’s airport where previous rounds were held in 2025, and agreed to return again is significant.

But continuation is not progress. The distance between what happened in Muscat and what a deal requires remains vast.

Diplomacy conducted under military escort

The most striking feature of the Muscat round was not what was said, but who sat in the room. The American delegation was led by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law. It also included, for the first time, Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of US Central Command, in full dress uniform.

His presence at the negotiating table was not incidental. It was a signal. The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group was operating in the Arabian Sea as the talks unfolded, and days earlier, US forces had shot down an Iranian drone that approached the carrier.

An Iranian diplomatic source told the Reuters news agency that Cooper’s presence “endangered” the talks. Another, quoted by Al-Araby TV, warned that “negotiations taking place under threat” could impose strategic costs rather than advance them. For Tehran, the message was unmistakable: This was diplomacy conducted in the shadow of force, not as an alternative to it.

Washington, for its part, sees this as leverage. President Trump, speaking on board Air Force One after the talks, described them as “very good” and said Iran wants a deal “very badly”, adding: “They know the consequences if they don’t. They don’t make a deal; the consequences are very steep.”

This is diplomacy framed as an ultimatum. It may create urgency. It is unlikely to create trust, and trust is what this process most desperately needs.

The structural problem

The US withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018, despite international verification that Iran was meeting its obligations. That decision shattered Iranian confidence in the durability of US commitments. Tehran’s subsequent incremental breaches of the agreement, steadily increasing enrichment levels from 2019 onwards, weakened its credibility, in turn.

This mutual distrust is not a negotiating obstacle that can be resolved with creative diplomacy alone. It is the defining condition under which any agreement must be built. The US has the capacity to impose enormous economic and military costs on Iran. But power does not automatically produce compliance. For commitments to hold, Iran must believe concessions will bring relief rather than new demands. That belief has been badly damaged.

Consider the sequence of events surrounding the Muscat round itself. Hours after the talks concluded, the US State Department announced new sanctions targeting 14 shadow fleet vessels involved in transporting Iranian petroleum, alongside penalties on 15 entities and two individuals. The Treasury Department framed the action as part of the administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign. Whether preplanned or timed for effect, the message was clear: Washington intends to negotiate and squeeze simultaneously.

For Tehran, which has consistently demanded that sanctions relief be the starting point for progress, this sequencing confirms precisely the pattern it fears. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi identified this dynamic explicitly, telling Iranian state television that “the mistrust that has developed is a serious challenge facing the negotiations.”

What actually happened in Muscat

Beneath the competing narratives, the outlines of the substantive discussion have begun to emerge. Iran reportedly rejected a US demand for “zero enrichment”, a maximalist position it was never going to accept in a first meeting. The two sides instead discussed the dilution of Iran’s existing uranium stockpile, a more technical and potentially more productive avenue.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported that diplomats from Egypt, Turkiye and Qatar had separately offered Iran a framework proposal: Halt enrichment for three years, transfer highly enriched uranium out of the country, and pledge not to initiate the use of ballistic missiles. Russia had reportedly signalled willingness to receive the uranium. Tehran has signalled both the enrichment halt and uranium transfer would be nonstarters.

Perhaps the most important development was the least visible. According to Axios, Witkoff and Kushner met directly with Araghchi during the talks, breaking from the strictly indirect format that Iran had demanded for most of last year’s rounds of negotiations. Iran had previously insisted on communicating with the US only through Omani intermediaries. Crossing that barrier, even partially, suggests both sides recognise the limits of indirect talks once bargaining becomes technical.

Oman’s framing was arguably the most honest assessment of the day. Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi described the talks as aimed at establishing “appropriate conditions for the resumption of diplomatic and technical negotiations”.

What the next few weeks will decide

Trump said a second round of talks would take place soon. Both sides indicated to Axios that further meetings were expected within days. The compressed timeline is notable. During last year’s rounds, weeks separated each session. The pace suggests Washington believes the diplomatic window is narrowing, and Tehran is at least willing to test that claim.

Several tests will show whether urgency produces substance or merely speed.

First, the scope question. The fundamental dispute over what the talks are about remains unresolved. Iran won the first procedural battle: The venue moved from Turkiye to Oman, regional observers were excluded, and Araghchi claims only nuclear issues were discussed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said before the talks that the agenda needed to include “all those issues”. If the second round begins with the same fight over scope, it will signal that even the basics remain unsettled.

Second, Iran’s enrichment posture. Before the June 2025 war, Iran had been enriching uranium to 60 percent purity, a short technical step from weapons-grade. Tehran has said enrichment stopped following the strikes. But Iran has also conditioned International Atomic Energy Agency inspections of the bombed sites on new inspection arrangements, raising concerns among non-proliferation experts. Conversely, reports of enrichment resumption or acceleration would likely end the diplomatic track.

Third, the military environment. The US naval build-up in the Arabian Sea is not decorative. The drone shootdown near the Abraham Lincoln and Iran’s attempted interception of a US-flagged vessel in the Strait of Hormuz in the days before the talks show how quickly signalling can slide into miscalculation. Whether the carrier group is reinforced, maintained or gradually drawn down in the coming weeks will reveal more about Washington’s assessment of diplomacy than any press statement.

Fourth, the sanctions rhythm. The same-day announcement of shadow fleet sanctions establishes a pattern. If Washington continues to layer new economic penalties between rounds of talks, Tehran will treat it as evidence that diplomacy is performance rather than process.

Fifth, backchannel activity. The most consequential diplomacy over the next few weeks may not occur in formal settings. Oman, Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye have been working behind the scenes to sustain dialogue. If those intermediary contacts remain active, space for de-escalation persists. If they fall silent, the margin for error narrows.

A managed deadlock is not a strategy

The most probable short-term outcome remains neither breakthrough nor war, but a managed deadlock in which both sides maintain maximal public positions while avoiding steps that would make future talks impossible. In practice, this is a pause sustained by caution rather than a settlement anchored in confidence.

For the broader region, the distinction matters urgently. Gulf states have no interest in becoming staging grounds for escalation. Public statements across the region have consistently emphasised de-escalation, restraint and conflict avoidance. But regional actors can facilitate, host and encourage; they cannot impose terms on either Washington or Tehran.

The Muscat talks did not fail. Neither did they succeed. They established that a channel exists, that both sides are willing to use it, and that direct contact between senior officials is possible.

But a channel is not a plan. The absence of war is not the presence of a deal. The period between Muscat and whatever comes next is a window in which miscalculation remains close to the surface, sustained only by the assumption that both sides are reading each other’s signals correctly.

The next round of talks will not produce an agreement. But it may show whether the two sides are building a floor beneath the standoff or simply postponing the moment when that floor gives way.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

Oscar nominations landed Thursday morning and you’d really have to be a curmudgeon to complain, what with the year’s two best films, “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners,” hauling in the most nods. One of these movies is going to win best picture (probably “One Battle”), continuing a nice little streak of top-shelf winners. “Oppenheimer” to “Anora” to “One Battle After Another”? That’s the best run since the early ’90s when “The Silence of the Lambs,” “Unforgiven” and “Schindler’s List” prevailed.

Of course, not everyone is celebrating this morning. “Wicked: For Good”? The complete disrespectation! The latest “Avatar” sequel? More ash than fire.

The Oscars cap their nominees at five per category (with the exception of best picture), leading, invariably, to some surprises and omissions — some egregious, some understandable. For alliteration and search engine optimization, we’ll call these “snubs,” though you’d have to be a true narcissist, say somebody who’d threaten to invade a country because he felt scorned over not winning a prize, to really take it personally.

Fortunately, Hollywood is free of ego, leaving us just to rationally contemplate the academy’s choices and examine the snubs and surprises of the nominations for the 98th Academy Awards, which will be presented on March 15.

Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande in “Wicked: For Good.”

(Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures/Giles Keyte / Universal Pictures)

SNUB: “Wicked: For Good” (picture)
The first “Wicked” earned 10 nominations last year, going on to win two Oscars. Surely, the sequel would be popular too. But the box office was down (more than $200 million globally), the reviews were mostly meh, and academy members took note. Duplicating the first movie’s Oscar haul was going to be a challenge, as some voters would naturally resist rewarding something they had just honored a year ago. And the material posed its own challenges, as the musical’s second act isn’t as fun or focused. But to go from 10 nominations to being completely shut out? What a difference a year makes.

SURPRISE: “F1” (picture)
There’s a demographic in the motion picture academy affectionately known as “steak-eaters,” men in the autumn of their years who appreciate a good Dad Movie centered on old(ish) guys who most definitely know best. With membership broadening, this demo has lost a bit of its influence over the years. But the dudes can take a victory lap today, celebrating the nomination of Joseph Kosinski’s swaggering, vroom-vroom sports movie.

SNUB: “Avatar: Fire and Ash” (picture)
The third “Avatar” movie has grossed $1.3 billion worldwide, which is impressive, though still about $1 billion behind 2022’s “Avatar: The Way of Water.” That movie, like the first one, was nominated for best picture. But “Fire and Ash” couldn’t even manage a nod from the Producers Guild, a group that operates from a bigger-the-better mentality. There’s a feeling of fatigue about the franchise, with even creator James Cameron giving the distinct impression that he’s ready to move on. Here’s another signal that it’s time.

SNUB: “It Was Just an Accident” (picture)
The warning signs were there. Jafar Panahi’s searing (and often funny) social critique of authoritarianism did not fare well on the Oscar or BAFTA early lists. But with the current political climate and the alarming events transpiring in Panahi’s native Iran, it still felt like it’d make the best picture cut. Its absence feels like a big miss or, less charitably, a dereliction of duty.

Stellan Skarsgård, left, and Elle Fanning in a scene from director Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value.”

(Kasper Tuxen/Neon)

SURPRISE: Joachim Trier, “Sentimental Value” (director)
Trier seemed to be slipping down the ranks of contenders, but voters no doubt appreciated his film’s salty view of Hollywood as well as the way “Sentimental Value” subtly shifted between past and present, hope and hurt. Trier also earned an original screenplay nomination, repeating the success he enjoyed with his last movie, “The Worst Person in the World,” also starring Renate Reinsve.

SNUB: Guillermo del Toro, “Frankenstein” (director)
Scorsese stumped for him, as did David Fincher, George Lucas and Jason Reitman. “It’s a remarkable work,” Scorsese said during a Q&A with Del Toro. “It stays with you. I dreamed of it.” The affable, movie-loving Del Toro has won many fans inside and outside the industry over the years, along with Oscars for directing and producing the 2017 best picture winner “The Shape of Water” and for “Pinocchio,” the enchanting 2022 movie that snagged animated feature. “Frankenstein” isn’t his best work, but Del Toro did snag a Directors Guild nod. And “Frankenstein” itself earned 9 Oscar nominations. The directors branch, though, went with Trier.

SNUB: Jafar Panahi, “It Was Just an Accident” (director)
Panahi has had quite the year: He won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in May and was sentenced in December to one year in prison for “propaganda activities” related to his work. Both speak to the effectiveness of “It Was Just an Accident,” a withering critique of the cruelty and corruption of an authoritarian regime. Panahi did receive his first Oscar nomination, an original screenplay nod.

SURPRISE: Kate Hudson, “Song Sung Blue” (lead actress)
Hudson’s winning turn in this sincere heart-warmer about a husband-wife Neil Diamond tribute act gave the actor her first nomination since her spectacular arrival a quarter-century ago in “Almost Famous.” “Song Sung Blue” had its own lane in this race, appealing to voters starved for the kind of sincere adult drama that studios once routinely made. And Hudson had a number of famous friends — Demi Moore, Reba McEntire and, of course, her mom, Goldie Hawn — hosting screenings and singing her praises. Maybe even singing some Neil Diamond songs. Who can resist? Not voters.

Chase Infiniti in “One Battle After Another.”

(Warner Bros. Pictures)

SNUB: Chase Infiniti, “One Battle After Another” (lead actress)
Infiniti’s placement in the lead category, clearing the decks in supporting for co-star Teyana Taylor, raised a few eyebrows. She’s only in the movie for about half an hour, and though her character drives the action and ends the movie in spectacular fashion, that wasn’t enough in a category flush with weightier work.

SNUB: Amanda Seyfried, “The Testament of Ann Lee” (lead actress)
For true believers in Seyfried’s frenzied work in Mona Fastvold’s story of devotion and delusion, it’s hard to shake this one off.

SNUB: Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked: For Good” (lead actress)
Here’s the rub: The second half of “Wicked” no longer centers Erivo’s Elphaba. When she’s on the screen — and not wearing that sex cardigan — she’s still great, masterfully conveying Elphaba’s vulnerability and sadness. But in a competitive lead actress category, Erivo simply didn’t have the screen time to convince voters to give her an encore nomination.

SURPRISE: Delroy Lindo, “Sinners” (supporting actor) Lindo finally earned his first Oscar nomination, riding the wave of “Sinners’” record haul. His portrayal of the world-weary Mississippi bluesman Delta Slim was central to the movie’s exploration of life in the Jim Crow South and included a powerful monologue that told the story of the lynching of a fellow musician. The movie wouldn’t have been as special without it.

Paul Mescal in “Hamnet.”

(Agata Grzybowska / Focus Features)

SNUB: Paul Mescal, “Hamnet” (supporting actor) He played Shakespeare, but voters weren’t in love. How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless audience.

SNUB: Ariana Grande, “Wicked: For Good” (supporting actress)
Grande functioned as a co-lead in the first “Wicked,” winning a supporting actress nomination last year, and took center stage in the sequel. But her Oscar fortunes waned as “Wicked: For Good” couldn’t replicate the spell the original cast on audiences. It’s possible too that, good as she is at light comedy, some voters didn’t buy Glinda’s transformation after spending nearly the entire movie betraying Elphaba at every turn. With friends like her, who needs enemies?

SURPRISE: Elle Fanning, “Sentimental Value” (supporting actress)
SAG-AFTRA voters ignored the cast of “Sentimental Value” for the Actor Awards, but the ensemble came back in a big way with the academy. Fanning, playing an A-list American actress navigating the strained family dynamics of the auteur who hired her for his comeback, joined Reinsve, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Stellan Skarsgård among the nominees.

SNUB: Odessa A’zion, “Marty Supreme” (supporting actress)
A’zion’s chances at a nomination seemed to rise along with the success of “Marty Supreme.” She picked up an Actor Award nomination earlier this month for playing Rachel, the film’s chaos-creating schemer. Oh well. Maybe we’ll see her at the Emmys later this year for her tumultuous turn as a Gen Z influencer in “I Love LA.”

SNUB: “No Other Choice” (international feature)
Oscar voters have been resistant to Park Chan-wook in the past, ignoring the likes of “Decision to Leave” and “The Handmaiden.” But “No Other Choice,” a humane — and darkly comic — look at ugly things people can do when desperate felt like a potential breakthrough. Park will have to wait … again.

Feb. 7 (UPI) — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon would end its academic partnership with Harvard University over what he called a “woke” institution that is not welcoming to the U.S. military.

In a video posted on Friday to X, Hegseth said the Department of Defense would end its partnership and work with the private university — which dates to before the American Revolution — over its alleged “wokeness.”

The move, according to a statement from the Pentagon, is “because attendance at the school no longer meets the needs of the [Department of Defense] or the military services.”

Calling the decision “long overdue,” Hegseth said that all professional military education, fellowships and certificate programs at Harvard will be formally ended starting with the 2026-2027 school year.

Members of the military who are already attending classes there, however, will be permitted to finish their courses of study, the Pentagon said.

Noting that the U.S. military has had “an important and often positive relationship” with the university for more than 250 years, Hegseth said that “Harvard is no longer a welcoming institution to military personnel or the right place to develop them.”

“Too many of our officers came back looking too much like Harvard — heads full of globalist and radical ideologies that do not improve our fighting ranks,” he said, adding that “the school has become a factory for woke ideology and a breeding ground for anti-American radicals.”

Hegseth alleged that Harvard research programs work with the Chinese Communist Party, university leadership has encouraged celebrations of Hamas and allowed attacks on Jewish students, and that the university “promotes discrimination based on race.”

Harvard University has been involved in some way with the U.S. military in an official capacity since 1775 when George Washington used the university as a military base, according to The Harvard Gazette.

Washington basing about 1,000 soldiers in Harvard Yard followed Harvard students and faculty who had “given their lives for the burgeoning nation” in war efforts for 150 years preceding the Revolutionary War, the university said.

Since President Donald Trump was inaugurated back into office in January 2025, Harvard has been one of several universities to draw his administration’s ire.

This has included everything from protests against the war between Israel and Hamas, academic programs and federal investments it deemed waste and their introduction of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs to improve student and faculty life.

Hegseth noted in the statement about Harvard that DOD plans to evaluate all existing graduate education programs for active-duty members of the military at all Ivy League and other universities.

“The goal is to determine whether or not they actually deliver cost-effective strategic education for future senior leaders when compared to, say, public universities or our military graduate programs,” he said.

Loneliness is a growing epidemic worldwide, but in Japan, it has become particularly severe as the pressures of modern life increasingly isolate individuals from their communities.

A Place for You is a mental health hotline where dedicated volunteers provide critical support to thousands in need every day. Two people who are struggling to find meaning in their lives turn to the online chat service as they seek connection. As they become aware of their need for human bonds, they embark on a journey of healing and renewal.

Dear Tomorrow is a documentary film by Kaspar Astrup Schroder.

An “addictive” musical set more than 70 years ago is now free to watch at the click of a button.

Musical fanatics can now stream a film that’s been dubbed “absolutely amazing”, and it’s not the beloved Dirty Dancing.

The charismatic 1980s romantic comedy, Dirty Dancing, starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, will be broadcast tonight, Sunday, February 8, at 6.55pm on ITV2.

But if you’ve had your fill of Baby and her watermelon, there’s another classic musical available to stream for free.

This 1950s-set musical has been hailed as a “true classic”, with one fan declaring it as “one of those films that I can watch over and over – and I do.”

Another concurred: “An absolute classic. The songs are addicting- hate they don’t make movies like this anymore”, while a third enthused: “This film will always remain as one of my all time favourites!”

The iconic 1978 film Grease tells the tale of high school sweethearts, bad boy Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and wholesome Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John), who fall head over heels during a summer romance.

However, their love story hits a snag when they realise they attend the same school and face social pressures from the T-Birds and the Pink Ladies.

With unforgettable tunes like You’re the One That I Want, Hopelessly Devoted To You, Summer Nights and Grease Lightnin’, it’s no surprise that the original soundtrack is one of the best-selling albums of all time, shifting more than 30 million copies worldwide.

The iconic film Grease, starring Saturday Night Fever’s John Travolta as Danny and the late Australian star of Xanadu, Olivia Newton-John, is now available to stream for free on ITVX.

Fans have been effusive in their praise for the classic movie. One viewer took to IMDb to gush: “Absolutely amazing.”

They continued: “It’s no wonder that the Grease soundtrack is the best selling musical soundtrack ever. (It sure is brilliant.) Grease really is the word. It’s fantastic. 10/10.”

Another fan agreed, stating: “Grease, of course, is based on the Broadway play and is a superb film version”.

A third viewer hailed the cast as “superb”, while another enthused: “Grease is a timeless classic that will have you singing and dancing by the end of the movie.”

Grease can be streamed on ITVX.

Feb. 7 (UPI) — Several fires damaged Italy’s northern rail line on the first day of the Winter Olympic Games in what investigators are calling acts of sabotage by arsonists.

Local authorities said three separate fires damaged railroad infrastructure and disrupted travel along the Bologna and Venice rail lines, causing travel delays of up to 2.5 hours on Saturday morning.

Rail service to Venice also was disrupted, and another fire was reported along tracks leading to the coastal city of Pesaro.

Italian railway officials ruled out any technical problems or accidents as the cause of the fires and damage and are treating them as deliberate acts of sabotage.

Investigators found an explosive device and severed cables, which officials for Italy’s Ministry of Transport described as “serious sabotage” that is similar to damage done to French rail lines during the Paris Summer Olympics in 2024.

“These actions of unprecedented seriousness do not in any way tarnish Italy’s image in the world, an image that the Games will make even more compelling and positive,” Matteo Salvini, deputy prime minister and transport minister, told the BBC.

No one has claimed responsibility for the damage that briefly stopped rail service on Bologna’s high-speed line, which was running again by the afternoon.

The rail line is among several that enable spectators to visit various events that are held in an area spanning hundreds of miles in northern Italy’s Alps and Dolomite mountains.

Transportation and anti-terrorism law enforcement teams also are investigating the matter.

Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has slammed Israel’s “interference” in his country, saying its recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland has further increased instability and weakened international order.

In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera broadcast on Saturday, Mohamud said Somalia “will never allow” the establishment of an Israeli base in Somaliland and will “confront” any such move.

He also warned that the proposed Israeli base could be used as a springboard to attack neighbouring countries.

Mohamud’s comments came amid a regional outcry over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision in December to recognise Somaliland, a breakaway part of Somalia comprising the northwestern portion of what was once the British Protectorate.

The territory sits astride one of the world’s most critical maritime choke routes, flanked by multiple conflicts in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East.

Israel’s move made it the first country in the world to recognise Somaliland as an independent state and came months after The Associated Press news agency reported that Israeli officials had contacted parties in Somaliland to discuss using the territory for forcibly displacing Palestinians amid Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

Israel and Somaliland have denied the claims, but a Somaliland official from the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation told Israel’s Channel 12 in January that an Israeli military base is “on the table and being discussed”, though its establishment depends on the terms.

Somalia has denounced Israel’s move as an attack on its territorial integrity and unity, a position backed by most African and Arab leaders, and urged Netanyahu to withdraw the recognition.

But Somaliland’s leader, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Cirro, has welcomed Israel’s diplomatic move, praising Netanyahu for his “leadership and commitment to promoting stability and peace” in the region.

‘We will defend ourselves’

In his interview with Al Jazeera, Mohamud described Israel’s diplomatic manoeuvre as a “reckless, fundamentally wrong and illegal action under international law”.

He also pledged to fight back against any Israeli military presence in Somaliland.

“We will fight in our capacity. Of course, we will defend ourselves,” he said. “And that means that we will confront any Israeli forces coming in, because we are against that and we will never allow that.”

The Israeli recognition represents a dramatic shift in Somaliland’s fortunes after years of diplomatic isolation.

The region seceded from Somalia during a brutal civil war that followed decades under the hardline government of Siad Barre, whose forces devastated the north. While large parts of Somalia descended into chaos, Somaliland stabilised by the late 1990s.

Somaliland has since developed a distinct political identity, with its own currency, flag and parliament. But its eastern regions remain disputed by communities that do not back the separatist programme in the capital, Hargeisa.

In recent years, Somaliland developed ties with the United Arab Emirates – a signatory to the Abraham Accords with Israel – and Taiwan as it sought international acceptance.

In his interview, Mohamud said Israel’s move “interfering with Somalia’s sovereign and territorial integrity” also “undermines stability, security and trade in a way that affects the whole of Africa, the Red Sea and the wider world”.

He added that Israel’s deadly use of force against Palestinians in Gaza cannot be separated from what is happening in Somaliland, adding that it reflects the weakening of the foundations of global governance.

“Key among the global concerns is the weakening of the established rules-based international order. That order is not intact any more,” Mohamud said.

He warned that institutions created after World War II “are under grave threat”, as “the mighty is right” increasingly replaces adherence to international law.

The United States, meanwhile, has yet to signal a major shift on the question of Somaliland.

But in August, US President Donald Trump – who has previously lobbed insults at Somalia and Mohamud – suggested he was preparing to move on the issue when asked about Somaliland during a White House news conference.

“Another complex one, but we’re working on that one – Somaliland,” he said.

Now that the 2026 Oscar nominations are out, it’s officially binge watch o’clock.

Chances are you caught a few of the contenders upon their 2025 movie theater openings, but with the onslaught of new releases in the weeks leading up to Thursday’s nominations announcement, even some voters are surely behind. (Don’t tell the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences).

The good news is, the lion’s share of nominated films are available to stream or see in theaters (or both).

Here is a guide to where you can find all the feature-length nominees ahead of the Academy Awards on March 15, paired with some commentary from Times critics.

“The Alabama Solution”

Where to watch: HBO Max
Nominated for: Documentary feature
What we said: “Much of ‘The Alabama Solution,’ which reports on inhumane living conditions, forced labor and widespread violence against the state’s incarcerated population, is comprised largely of footage captured by inmates using contraband cellphones, offering one of the most shocking, visceral depictions of our carceral state ever put to film.”

“Arco”

Where to watch: In theaters
Nominated for: Animated feature
What we said: “The most impressive part of French animated sci-fi epic ‘Arco,’ which took the top prize at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, is its imaginative world-building.”

“Avatar: Fire and Ash”

Where to watch: In theaters
Nominated for: Costume design, visual effects
What we said: “Viewed in ultra-crisp high frame rate, ‘Fire and Ash’ feels so overwhelmingly real that it circles back around to surreal.”

“Blue Moon”

Where to watch: Apple TV, Prime Video, Fandango at Home, in theaters
Nominated for: Lead actor, original screenplay
What we said: “[Richard] Linklater’s movies have frequently featured affable underdogs, but by contrast, ‘Blue Moon’ is an elegy to a bitter, insecure man whose view of himself as a failure has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

“Bugonia”

Where to watch: Peacock
Nominated for: Best picture, lead actress, adapted screenplay, original score
What we said: “‘Bugonia’ is a hilarious movie with no hope for the future of humanity. What optimism there is lies only in the title, an ancient Greek word for the science of transforming dead cows into hives, of turning death into life.”

“Come See Me in the Good Light”

Where to watch: Apple TV
Nominated for: Documentary feature
What we said: “‘Throughout the Festival, we saw audiences moved by Andrea Gibson’s and Megan Falley’s journeys in ‘Come See Me in the Good Light,’’ Sundance Film Festival Director of Programming Kim Yutani said to the fest’s website. ‘Festival goers embraced the humor and heartbreak of this intimate documentary directed by Ryan White, as it speaks to art and love and reminds us what it means to be alive as we face mortality.’”

“Cutting Through Rocks”

Where to watch: Not currently available
Nominated for: Documentary feature

“Diane Warren: Relentless”

Where to watch: YouTube, Prime Video, Fandango at Home, Google Play, Apple TV
Nominated for: Original song

“Elio”

Where to watch: Disney+
Nominated for: Animated feature
What we said: “‘Elio’ is a breezy Pixar adventure, the studio’s pivot back to making original, rip-roaring children’s yarns.”

“F1”

Where to watch: Apple TV
Nominated for: Best picture, editing, sound, visual effects
What we said: “The pleasures of ‘F1’ are engineered to bypass the brain. It’s muscular and thrilling and zippy, even though at over two and a half hours long, it has a toy dump truck’s worth of plot.”

“Frankenstein”

Where to watch: Netflix, in theaters
Nominated for: Best picture, supporting actor, adapted screenplay, cinematography, costume design, makeup & hairstyling, original score, production design, sound
What we said: “‘Frankenstein’ is [Guillermo del Toro’s] lifelong passion project: He doesn’t just want to make a ‘Frankenstein’ but the ‘Frankenstein,’ so he’s faithfully set his adaptation in the past. But he’s adjusted the wiring so that 1850s Europe reminds us of Silicon Valley. The result is the best movie of his career.”

“Hamnet”

Where to watch: In theaters
Nominated for: Best picture, director, lead actress, adapted screenplay, casting, costume design, original score, production design
What we said: “The film’s depiction of grief has rightly been at the center of the conversation around ‘Hamnet,’ with their revelatory performances resulting in immense Oscar buzz for both actors. But [Paul] Mescal and [Jessie] Buckley were almost more interested in the relationship between William and Agnes and how artists navigate the trappings of conventional life.”

“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”

Where to watch: YouTube, Prime Video, Fandango at Home, Google Play, Apple TV, in theaters
Nominated for: Lead actress
What we said: “From the moment it begins, Mary Bronstein’s ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ aims to put you inside the head of a mother in crisis, and for the next couple of hours it does so in such an exhausting, claustrophobic, anxiety-inducing manner that, as you take a journey on this cinematic endurance test, you feel many things: grudging admiration, abject terror and, finally, sweet relief when the closing credits roll.”

“It Was Just an Accident”

Where to watch: YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, Fandango at Home, in theaters
Nominated for: International feature, original screenplay
What we said: “In a movie full of heightened emotions and anxious uncertainty, ‘It Was Just an Accident’ (which is France’s entry for the international film Oscar) glides between genres, too slippery to be nailed down. [Jafar] Panahi dabbles in the road movie, the revenge thriller, even the ‘getting the band back together’ comedy.”

“Jurassic World Rebirth”

Where to watch: Peacock
Nominated for: Visual effects
What we said: “‘Rebirth’ is a confounding title for a downbeat entry that’s mostly preoccupied by death and neglect.”

“Kokuho”

Where to watch: In theaters (Feb. 5)
Nominated for: Makeup & hairstyling

“KPop Demon Hunters”

Where to watch: Netflix
Nominated for: Animated feature, original song
What we said: “‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ the cartoon musical about a girl group using catchy tunes to keep evil at bay, has become a viral phenomenon since it launched on the streamer June 20. With 210 million views globally so far, it’s the most watched animated movie ever on Netflix, and is expected to soon top ‘Red Notice’ as the company’s most popular film.”

“Little Amélie or the Character of Rain”

Where to watch: YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, Fandango at Home
Nominated for: Animated feature
What we said: “Amélie’s rowdy approach becomes more nuanced when she is confronted with a loved one’s death, as well as her own mortality in the aftermath of two accidents. [Liane-Cho] Han and [Maïlys] Vallade also make room for her realizations about life’s unfairness and the inevitability of sorrow — all communicated via flights of fancy that only animation can materialize.”

“The Lost Bus”

Where to watch: Apple TV
Nominated for: Visual effects
What we said: “This time [director Paul Greengrass] mixes star heroism with you-are-there spectacle and the results can be galvanizing if awkwardly framed.”

“Marty Supreme”

Where to watch: In theaters
Nominated for: Best picture, director, lead actor, casting, cinematography, costume design, editing, production design, original screenplay
What we said: “The movie’s moxie makes it impossible not to get caught up in Marty’s crusade. We’re giddy even when he’s miserable.”

“Mr. Nobody Against Putin”

Where to watch: Apple TV
Nominated for: Documentary feature

“One Battle After Another”

Where to watch: HBO Max, in theaters
Nominated for: Best picture, director, lead actor, supporting actor, supporting actress, adapted screenplay, casting, cinematography, editing, sound, original score, production design
What we said: “Paul Thomas Anderson’s fun and fizzy adaptation views its Molotov cocktail as half-full. Yes, it says, the struggle for liberation continues: ideologues versus toadies, radicals versus conservatives, loyalists versus rats. But isn’t it inspiring that there are still people willing to fight?”

“The Perfect Neighbor”

Where to watch: Netflix
Nominated for: Documentary feature
What we said: “‘The Perfect Neighbor’ does leave us with a patiently earned moment of justice. But it’s haunted by the notion that a lethal rage prevailed, that a crime was allowed to happen and an ordinary, trusting American neighborhood — where a loving mom unhesitatingly tells an inquiring cop, ‘All these kids are mine’ — isn’t protectable ground.”

“The Secret Agent”

Where to watch: In theaters
Nominated for: Best picture, international feature, lead actor, casting
What we said: “‘The Secret Agent’ isn’t tightly coiled so much as it gradually unfolds, its full meaning unclear until the filmmaker eventually hurtles forward nearly 50 years, snapping the final puzzle piece into place.”

“Sentimental Value”

Where to watch: Fandango at Home, YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, in theaters
Nominated for: Best picture, director, lead actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, editing, international feature, original screenplay
What we said: “‘Sentimental Value’ is a movie for people who don’t like to cry, who may not admit that they have ever cried, who listen to Loudon Wainwright’s song ‘The Man Who Couldn’t Cry’ and say, ‘Yes, that’s me!’”

“Sinners”

Where to watch: HBO Max, in theaters
Nominated for: Best picture, director, lead actor, supporting actor, supporting actress, casting, cinematography, costume design, editing, makeup & hairstyling, original score, original song, production design, sound, visual effects, original screenplay
What we said: “What a blood rush to exit Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’ aware that you’ve seen not merely a great movie but an eternal movie, one that will transcend today’s box office and tomorrow’s awards to live on as a forever favorite.”

“Sirāt”

Where to watch: Not currently available
Nominated for: International feature, sound
What we said: “‘Sirāt’ is taut and riveting and nearly all mood. You feel the exhilaration of veering off the path, the self-exile of speeding toward nowhere, the dread that this caravan has veered too far for its own safety.”

“The Smashing Machine”

Where to watch: YouTube, Prime Video, Fandango at Home, Google Play, Apple TV
Nominated for: Makeup & hairstyling
What we said: “While ‘The Smashing Machine’ represents a step in a new direction for [Dwayne] Johnson, it also finds [Benny] Safdie setting off on a new path as a writer and director on his own after years of collaborations with his brother. Sifting through the emotional and physical struggles of [Mark] Kerr’s life, Safdie found something at its core that aligns with his own ongoing interest in what it takes to move forward despite life’s difficulties. It’s not about being a loser, he thinks, but it is about not winning.”

“Song Sung Blue”

Where to watch: In theaters, YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play, Fandango at Home
Nominated for: Lead actress
What we said: “‘Song Sung Blue’ couldn’t be less cool. But the Sardinas were completely sincere and [Hugh] Jackman and [Kate] Hudson honor their innocence by playing them straight.”

“Train Dreams”

Where to watch: Netflix, in theaters
Nominated for: Best picture, adapted screenplay, cinematography, original song
What we said: “‘Train Dreams’ is the kind of movie that people often say they want more of, but when one actually comes along they don’t quite know what to do with it. Told with an unassuming, gentle simplicity that grows into an accumulating emotional power, the film manages to feel very small and specific while also vast and expansive.”

“The Ugly Stepsister”

Where to watch: Hulu
Nominated for: Makeup & hairstyling

“Viva Verdi!”

Where to watch: Not currently available
Nominated for: Original song

“The Voice of Hind Rajab”

Where to watch: In theaters
Nominated for: International feature
What we said: “The movie is a powerfully blunt instrument of empathy. [Kaouther] Ben Hania’s insistence on close-up melodramatics — faces in anguish, a handheld camera glued to them — sometimes overshadows a thirst for something more analytical. But it’s decidedly a vision, one steeped in roiling pain.”

“Weapons”

Where to watch: HBO Max
Nominated for: Supporting actress
What we said: “A former sketch comic, [Zach] Cregger knows how to work a crowd. The combination of his assurance and his characters’ confusion is wonderful in the moment, as though you’re listening to a spiel from someone who sounds crazy but might be making all the sense in the world.”

“Zootopia 2”

Where to watch: In theaters, YouTube
Nominated for: Animated feature
What we said: “After several haphazard attempts with the ‘Frozen’ and ‘Moana’ franchises, ‘Zootopia 2’ can take the title as Disney’s most effective animated sequel yet.”

Feb. 7 (UPI) — A federal grand jury indicted Shannon Mathre, 33, for threatening to kill Vice President JD Vance and receiving and distributing child pornography.

Mathre, 33, is a resident of Toledo, Ohio, and allegedly told others in an online post that he is going to learn where Vance is going to be and use an M14 service rifle to kill the vice president. Vance visited northwestern Ohio in January.

“Our attorneys are vigorously prosecuting this disgusting threat against Vice President Vance,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. “You can hide behind a screen, but you cannot hide from this Department of Justice.”

Secret Service agents arrested Mathre on Friday after the U.S. District Court of Northern Ohio grand jury indicted him earlier in the week.

While participating in Mathre’s arrest, federal investigators discovered child sex-abuse materials in his possession.

A grand jury indictment says he received and distributed child sex abuse materials from Dec. 31 to Jan. 21 and had several such digital files.

He was arraigned on Friday and has a detention hearing scheduled on Wednesday.

If Mathre is found guilty of the charges against him, a federal judge could sentence him to up to five years in prison and fined up to $250,000 for threatening the vice president’s life.

He also could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison and fined up to $250,000 for possessing child sex-abuse materials.

Mathre’s arrest comes during the same week that a Maryland resident Colin Demarco, 26, was charged with attempted murder for allegedly traveling to the northern Virginia home of Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought on Jan. 22.

Prosecutors say he was wearing a mask and carrying a firearm without a permit to do so when he was stopped outside of Vought’s home.

Demarco allegedly called the Nov. 5, 2024, election night the “worst of his life.”

These are the key developments from day 1,445 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Here is where things stand on Sunday, February 8:

Fighting

• Russian forces launched more than 400 drones and about 40 missiles in an overnight attack on Ukraine on Saturday, targeting the country’s power grid, generation facilities and distribution substations, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
• Ukrainian Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal said two thermal power stations in Ukraine’s western regions were hit, and electricity distribution lines were also targeted.
• Zelenskyy said more than 1,000 apartment buildings remain without heating in bitterly cold temperatures in the capital, Kyiv, due to the attacks.
• The Ukrainian president criticised Moscow’s targeting of energy infrastructure, saying Russia must be deprived of the ability to use the cold winter weather as leverage against Kyiv. “Every day, Russia could choose real diplomacy, but it chooses new strikes,” he said.
• Poland suspended operations at the Lublin and Rzeszow airports near the border with Ukraine on Saturday following the Russian strikes. Polish authorities later said there had been no violation of the country’s airspace and reopened the two airports.
• The International Atomic Energy Agency said on X that Ukrainian nuclear power plants have reduced output due to the renewed military activity that affected electrical substations and disconnected some power lines.

• Ukrainian military and security officials said that Kyiv struck an oil depot in Russia’s Saratov region and a plant that makes missile fuel components in the Tver region in western Russia.
• Ukrainian forces also launched a strike on Russia’s Bryansk region, according to the governor there, using long-range Neptune missiles and HIMARS rocket systems. The attacks wounded two people and disrupted power in seven municipalities, the official said.
• The Russian TASS news agency said another Ukrainian missile attack on the border region of Belgorod caused power outages at several water supply facilities, and that experts are “investigating the extent of the outage”.
• The Russian Defence Ministry said its troops captured the village of Chuhunivka in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region, the state news agency RIA Novosti reported.

Peace talks

• Zelenskyy said the United States has given Moscow and Kyiv a deadline of June to reach an agreement on ending the war, after the two countries held two days of talks in Abu Dhabi this week.
• Zelenskyy said Washington has proposed talks in Miami in a week, and that Kyiv has agreed.
• The US also asked Russia and Ukraine to agree to a new ceasefire covering strikes on energy infrastructure as a de-escalation step during the talks, Zelenskyy said. He added that Kyiv was ready to stop attacks on Russian oil facilities and other energy infrastructure, but Moscow has yet to agree.
• The Ukrainian leader said he had reports from Ukrainian intelligence services on discussions in which Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev had proposed US-Russian cooperation deals worth as much as $12 trillion. Any such agreements between Moscow and Washington must not violate Ukraine’s constitution, Zelenskyy said.
• Zelenskyy added that Ukraine and Russia remain far apart in the discussions about territory. He said the US was proposing a free economic zone in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, which Russia mostly occupies, but that neither Ukraine nor Russia was thrilled by this idea.

• Earlier, the Ukrainian leader met his negotiating team in Kyiv and said Ukraine “needs results” that ensure “effective security guarantees” for the country.

• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow that a third round of talks aimed at ending Russia’s war on Ukraine should take place “soon”. But he said there is no fixed date yet.

Politics and security

• Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdrii Sybiha said Kyiv supports a call for a ceasefire during the Winter Olympic Games after Italy and Pope Leo urged world leaders to use the Milano Cortina games to further peace.
• The Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that two suspects in the attempted assassination of top Russian military intelligence official General Vladimir Alexeyev “will soon be interrogated”. It cited a source close to the investigation.
• Alexeyev, the deputy head of the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence arm, was shot in his Moscow apartment building and rushed to hospital on Friday. He underwent successful surgery and regained consciousness on Saturday, but remained under medical supervision, Kommersant added.
• Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov accused Ukraine of being behind the assassination attempt, which he said – without providing evidence – was designed to sabotage peace talks.
• US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order rescinding a punitive 25 percent duty on all imports from India over its purchases of Russian oil, the White House said. The two nations earlier announced a trade deal slashing US tariffs on Indian goods to 18 percent from 50 percent in exchange for India halting Russian oil purchases and lowering trade barriers.

I have watched this show at least once every week for the last 10 years and people are still leaving positive reviews

Everyone’s got at least one go-to programme they return to now and again. I’ve got several I rotate through, whether it’s The Thick Of It, I’m Alan Partridge or Star Trek, but there’s consistently one that stands head and shoulders above the rest and I’m not the only one who reckons it deserves a viewing.

Boasting a 95% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes, Frasier is the American sitcom that keeps proving its staying power and I’ve tuned in at least weekly (possibly more) for over ten years. I can recall when this brilliant piece of farcical comedy served as a late-morning slot-filler on Channel 4, and that’s where I initially encountered the endearing yet pretentious radio psychiatrist as he adjusts to fresh beginnings in Seattle.

Whilst Frasier originally launched in 1993, plenty of viewers already knew the main character from the Boston-set sitcom Cheers.

Spanning 11 series right through to 2004, Frasier, portrayed by Kelsey Grammer, remains remarkably relevant today, with numerous episodes revolving around the comic consequences of a straightforward misunderstanding that viewers are completely aware of.

It’s packed with brilliant one-liners, gags that mock the upper classes and a dash of slapstick chucked in for good measure.

It follows Frasier’s relocation from Boston to his swanky new flat in the fictional Elliot Bay Towers, and launches his fresh radio call-in programme at the neighbourhood KACL station alongside producer Roz, portrayed by Peri Gilpin.

Comedy gold unfolds when he welcomes his down-to-earth father Martin, portrayed by the late John Mahoney, Martin’s live-in physiotherapist Daphne, brought to life by Jane Leeves, and his scruffy terrier Eddie into his pristine apartment, reports the Express.

There’s no shortage of sharp-tongued sparring between Frasier and his equally pretentious sibling Niles, embodied by David Hyde Pierce, while sipping a steaming macchiato at their beloved Cafe Nervosa.

Both audiences and reviewers adore it, with each series packed with memorable episodes that become more hilarious with repeated watches.

Fans continue posting glowing testimonials more than two decades since it wrapped, cementing this legendary sitcom’s devoted following.

One viewer raved: “Just a fantastic series. Great writing. Brilliant acting. As much as I enjoy Kelsey Grammar in this series… David Hyde Pierce really does steal the show.”

Another declared: “This is a go-to classic for intellectual humour while building upon continuing story arcs and having solid standalone episodes. Frasier is one of the best TV series ever made.”

A third enthused: “Definitely one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, watching it over again.”

There’s been a Frasier revival, though this features a fresh ensemble aside from Kelsey Grammer, and has received divided opinions.

Both the classic and revived Frasier are available on Paramount Plus, whilst the original run can be streamed on Channel 4. Individual series and episodes can be purchased through Amazon Prime.

Spain and Portugal are bracing for a new storm, just days after Storm Leonardo’s deadly floods killed at least two people — one in Portugal and one in Spain — and forced more than 11,000 residents to evacuate their homes.

On Saturday, authorities in Portugal mobilised more than 26,500 rescuers as Storm Marta approached, forcing three municipalities to postpone Sunday’s presidential vote until next week due to severe weather.

Both countries issued warnings of further flooding after previous heavy rains had submerged roads, disrupted train services, and displaced thousands. Portuguese forecasts warned of heavy rain, strong winds, and rough seas, with alerts active across the country.

In Spain, much of the south, particularly Andalusia, and the northwest were placed on orange alert for heavy rain and violent storms, the national meteorological agency Aemet said.

Other regions, including Castilla‑La Leon, Galicia, Murcia, and the Valencian Community, also received warnings. While rainfall was expected to be less “exceptional” than during Storm Leonardo, authorities cautioned that saturated ground increased the risk of flooding and landslides.

New downpours in Andalusia added to earlier rain that had already caused widespread flooding, landslides, and forced more than 10,000 people from their homes.

Many roads remained closed, and rail services were largely suspended, with officials urging residents to limit travel wherever possible.

Mario Silvestre, commander at Portugal’s civil protection agency, described the forecast as “extremely worrying”.

Juan Manuel Moreno, president of the Andalusia region, wrote on X that the “rivers have hit their limit,” warning of gusts of wind reaching 110 kilometres per hour (68 miles per hour), landslides, and flash floods.

“All the furniture is completely destroyed, the water broke the window, forced the doors open and then burst through the window from the other side,” Francisco Marques, a municipal employee in the central village of Constancia, told the AFP news agency.

After flying over flood-hit areas in southern Spain near Cadiz on Friday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned that “difficult days” lay ahead for the region as a result of the “very dangerous” weather forecast. Sanchez added he was “bowled over at seeing the endless rain”.

Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said the damage exceeded four billion euros ($4.7bn).

Portugal was already reeling from the effects of Storm Kristin, which led to five deaths, hundreds of injuries, and tens of thousands without power, when Leonardo struck earlier this week.

Portugal’s National Meteorological Institute (IPMA) has placed the entire coastline on orange alert due to heavy seas, with waves reaching up to 13 metres (43 feet) high. Eight of the 18 districts on the mainland, mainly in the centre and south, are also on orange alert.

“All river basins remain under severe pressure,” particularly the Tagus River in the Lisbon region and the Sado River further south, a spokesperson for the National Civil Protection Authority told AFP.

One person died during Storm Leonardo in Portugal, and 1,100 people were evacuated across the country. A succession of atmospheric depressions forced Portugal’s dams to release “a volume of water equivalent to the country’s annual consumption” in just three days, Jose Pimenta Machado, president of the Portuguese Environment Agency, said on Friday.

Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes score for ‍United while Spurs captain Christian Romero sees red for a wild challenge.

Manchester United profited from Tottenham captain Cristian Romero’s red card to stretch their perfect start under Michael Carrick to four games, with a 2-0 win at Old Trafford in the Premier League.

Goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes on Saturday ended an eight-game winless run against Spurs for the Red Devils, who cemented their position in the Premier League’s top four.

United close to within two points of third-placed Aston Villa and open up a five-point cushion over Liverpool in sixth.

A place in the top five is likely to secure a spot in next season’s Champions League due to the strong performance of English sides in European competition.

Spurs’ hopes of qualifying for the Champions League through their league position have long since disappeared, as another damaging defeat for Thomas Frank leaves Tottenham in 14th.

But there could be lasting consequences for Romero after his ill-discipline cost his side just days after a social media outburst aimed at the club’s hierarchy.

Frank said the Argentinian international had been “dealt with internally” after he described Tottenham’s threadbare squad as “disgraceful” following the closure of the transfer window.

Romero’s future as skipper had already been called into question, and the 27-year-old will now be suspended for four matches after his second red card of the season and sixth of his Spurs career.

The centre-back lunged in to catch Casemiro on the ankle on 29 minutes after playing himself into trouble just outside the Tottenham box.

United had been the better side during the opening half hour, even against 11 men, and made their numerical advantage count.

Mbeumo stroked into the bottom corner for his third goal in four games since Carrick took charge, after a clever corner involving Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo freed the Cameroon international at the edge of the box.

Amad Diallo and Matheus Cunha had goals ruled out for offside as the home side dominated but had to wait until nine minutes from time to make the points safe.

Fernandes showed Romero how to lead from the front with another fine individual display.

The United captain prodded in Diogo Dalot’s cross at the back post for his 200th goal or assist in 314 games for the club.

Carrick said before the game that United cannot afford to rush their choice of a new permanent manager.

But the former midfielder, who enjoyed a stellar playing career at Old Trafford, is making his case for that job as he continues overseeing United’s stunning turnaround in fortunes since the departure of Ruben Amorim last month.

Fernandes had plenty of praise for Carrick in a post-match interview with TNT Sports.

“The energy ⁠is different because we are winning games and when you win games, everything is brighter,” Fernandes said.

“Michael came in with the right idea of giving the players more responsibility and freedom to make decisions on the pitch. I was always sure Michael could be a great manager, and he is showing that.”

Meanwhile, it is now two Premier League wins in 16 for Frank and his Spurs side.

“I think the first 30 minutes were a good away performance,” Frank told TNT Sports after the game.

“I’m very proud of the players, the resilience, staying in the game, mentality [to] still be a threat at times, to try to create something. Very proud of them.”

Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario told TNT Sports that Romero had apologised to his teammates for the sending off.

“Yeah, of course, he’s disappointed, because he knows that this card could have been avoidable, and so he apologised,” he said.

“He made his mistake, but we know the player he is, and he’ll be back for sure, stronger, and he’s going to help us massively.”

TUCSON — Savannah Guthrie told the potential kidnappers of her mother, Nancy Guthrie, on Saturday that the family is prepared to pay for her safe return, as the frantic search for the 84-year-old has entered a seventh day.

“We received your message, and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her,” Guthrie said in a video posted on social media, flanked by her siblings. “This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”

It was not immediately clear whether the longtime co-host of NBC’s “Today” show was referring to a new message from someone who might have kidnapped Nancy Guthrie. The Associated Press reached out to the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department seeking additional details.

Tucson TV station KOLD said Friday that it received a message via email that was tied to the Guthrie case, the contents of which it could not disclose. The FBI said it was aware of a new message and was reviewing its authenticity.

No suspects identified

Investigators think Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will from her home just outside Tucson last weekend. DNA tests showed blood on Guthrie’s front porch was a match to her, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has said. Authorities have not identified any suspects or ruled anyone out.

The sheriff said Friday that he was frustrated that a camera at Nancy Guthrie’s home was not able to capture images of anyone the day she went missing.

Investigators have found that the home’s doorbell camera was disconnected early Sunday and that software data recorded movement at the home minutes later. But Nancy Guthrie did not have an active subscription, so none of the images were able to be recovered.

“It is concerning, it’s actually almost disappointing, because you’ve got your hopes up,” Nanos told the Associated Press in an interview. “OK, they got an image. ‘Well, we do, but we don’t.’”

President Trump, speaking on Air Force One on Friday, said the investigation was going “very well.”

“We have some clues that I think are very strong,” Trump said en route to his Florida estate for the weekend. “We have some things that may be coming out reasonably soon.”

Investigators return to scene

Investigators were back in Nancy Guthrie’s neighborhood on Friday.

The Sheriff’s Department posted on social media to say access was restricted to the road in front of the home to give investigators space. Journalists staked out there were directed to move.

The Catalina Foothills Assn., a neighborhood group, told residents in a letter that authorities were resuming searches in the area immediately.

“I know we all stand together in our collective disbelief and sadness and greatly appreciate your willingness to speak with law enforcement, share camera images and allow searches of your properties,” the association president said in the letter.

The sheriff said Thursday that investigators have not given up on trying to retrieve camera recordings.

“I wish technology was as easy as we believe it is, that ‘here’s a picture, here’s your bad guy.’ But it’s not,” Nanos told the AP. “There are pieces of information that come to us from these tech groups that say, ‘This is what we have and we can’t get any more.’”

TV station receives note

The sheriff also said he had no new information about the note to the TV station or other purported ransom letters sent to some media outlets, saying the FBI is handling that side of the investigation.

Meanwhile, concern about Nancy Guthrie’s health condition has grown, because authorities say she needs vital daily medicine. She is said to have a pacemaker and have dealt with high blood pressure and heart issues, according to sheriff’s dispatcher audio on broadcastify.com.

“Her conditions, I would imagine, are worsening day by day,” Nanos said. “She requires medication. And I have no way of knowing whether they’re getting that medication to her.”

Pleas from family

Savannah Guthrie and her siblings released a previous video message on Wednesday, saying they were ready to talk but wanted proof of life. Camron Guthrie, Savannah’s brother, repeated that in a video Thursday.

It is not clear if all of the ransom notes were identical. Heith Janke, the FBI chief in Phoenix, said details included a demand for money with a deadline that passed Thursday evening and a second deadline for Monday if the first one was not met. At least one note mentioned a floodlight at Guthrie’s home and an Apple watch, Janke said.

Voters in Japan are casting their ballots in a parliamentary election expected to deliver a resounding victory for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s conservative coalition.

The snap vote on Sunday comes as Takaichi seeks a new mandate to push through an ambitious agenda, including increased defence spending and tougher immigration measures.

The coalition of Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Japan Innovation Party, known as Ishin, could win more than 300 of the 465 seats in the lower house of parliament, according to multiple opinion polls.

The figure would mark a substantial gain from ⁠the 233 it is defending.

The opposition, despite the formation of a new centrist alliance and a rising far-right, is seen as too splintered to be a real challenger.

Takaichi, 64, is Japan’s first female prime minister and took office in October after being selected as the LDP’s leader. The ultraconservative politician has pledged to “work, work, work”, and her style – seen as both playful and tough – has resonated with younger voters.

She has said she will step down if the LDP fails to win a majority.

Rising cost of living

Voters on Sunday will select lawmakers in 289 single-seat constituencies, with the remainder decided by proportional representation votes for parties. Polls close at 8pm local time (11:00 GMT), when broadcasters are expected to issue projections based on exit polls.

The rising cost of living has taken centre stage in the election.

The issue is voters’ main concern, with prices rising while real wage growth lags behind inflation, leaving households worse off. Japan also faces longstanding problems with sluggish economic growth. The economy expanded just 1.1 percent last year and is on track to grow by only 0.7 percent in 2026, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Takaichi has promised to suspend the 8 percent sales tax on food for two years to help households cope with rising prices.

The pledge follows the approval last year of Japan’s largest stimulus package since the COVID-19 pandemic, a 21.3 trillion yen ($136bn) injection into the economy, heavily focused on cost-of-living relief measures, including energy bill subsidies, cash handouts and food vouchers.

Takaichi has also promised to revise security and defence policies by December to bolster Japan’s offensive military capabilities, lifting a ban on weapons exports and moving further away from the country’s post-war pacifist principles. She has been pushing for tougher immigration policies, including stricter requirements for foreign property owners and a cap on foreign residents.

Al Jazeera’s Patrick Fok, reporting from Tokyo, said Takaichi, who is favoured by a majority of voters under the age of 30, is hoping to capitalise on her “tremendous popularity” and secure a landslide victory for her coalition.

“That result – if indeed that’s how it turns out – will mark a remarkable turnaround, really, for the LDP. Months ago, it was a party in disarray. It had lost its parliamentary majority and was embroiled in a slush fund scandal. So, this turnaround has very much been engineered by Takaichi and what some describe as an almost cult-like popularity,” Fok said.

Sunday’s vote comes amid record snowfall in parts of the country. With up to 70cm (27.5 inches) of snow forecast in northern and eastern regions, some voters will have to battle blizzards to cast their ballots. The election is only the third post-war vote held in February, with polls typically called during milder months.

Fok said the heavy snowfall could affect voter turnout, but “there’s no suggestion that’s going to impact the outcome of the election”.

“A lot of people feel that the opposition parties are not offering anything substantially different. And perhaps they feel that Takaichi’s economic agenda will boost the country in the long term,” he said.

“She has a growth-oriented strategy. She wants to develop sectors like AI and semiconductors, and accelerate defence spending. Voters are perhaps betting on that unlocking the keys to stagnant wage growth in this country, and in turn, [to] counter rising inflation that they are experiencing here.”

Foreign policy

A landslide win for Takaichi’s coalition would also likely prompt a shift in foreign policy.

“It will allow her to do two fundamentally important things,” said Stephen Nagy, a professor of politics and international studies at the International Christian University.

“The first thing is to invest in the Japan-United States alliance, tighten its partnership, and secure that relationship,” he told Al Jazeera. “Second, it will allow her to take a more realistic approach to China by balancing engagement through trade and trying to deal with regional challenges, such as terrorism or climate change, and also resilience and deterrence policy.”

Nagy noted that Takaichi received the endorsement of US President Donald Trump on Thursday and called the move a “mixed blessing”.

On one hand, the Japanese public has been worried about Trump’s tariffs and his overtures to China.

“If he is going to create a G-2 relationship with China, this is going to come at the expense of Japan’s security and ordinary citizens’ idea of security in the region,” Nagy said.

On the other hand, the Trump endorsement helps because the Japanese public “are used to the strongest and most robust Japan-US alliance over the past 80 years” and believe that Takaichi will bring stability and forge a stronger relationship with Washington, he said.

No single party is expected to secure a clear majority in Sunday’s vote, raising the spectre of political instability.

Polls have opened in Thailand in a closely watched general election, with progressive reformers, military-backed conservatives and populist forces vying for control.

Polling stations opened at 8am local time (01:00 GMT) on Sunday and were set to close at 5pm (10:00 GMT).

More than 2.2 million voters had already cast ballots during an early voting period that began on February 1, according to the Election Commission.

The battle for support from Thailand’s 53 million registered voters comes against a backdrop of slow economic growth and heightened nationalist sentiment.

While more than 50 parties are contesting the polls, only three – the People’s Party, Bhumjaithai, and Pheu Thai – have the nationwide organisation and popularity to gain a winning mandate.

With 500 parliamentary seats at stake and surveys consistently showing no party likely to win an outright majority, coalition negotiations appear inevitable. A simple majority of elected lawmakers will select the next prime minister.

The progressive People’s Party, led by Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, is favoured to win the most seats. But the party’s reformist platform, which includes promises to curb the influence of the military and the courts, as well as breaking up economic polices, remains unpalatable to its rivals, who may freeze it out by joining forces to form a government.

The party is the successor to the Move Forward Party, which won the most seats in the House of Representatives in 2023, but was blocked from power by a military appointed Senate and later dissolved by the Constitutional Court over its call to reform Thailand’s strict royal insult laws.

The Bhumjaithai, headed by caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, is seen as the main defender and preferred choice of the royalist-military establishment.

Anutin has only been the prime minister since last September, after serving in the Cabinet of former Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was forced out of office for an ethics violation regarding the mishandling of relations with Cambodia. Anutin dissolved parliament in December to call a new election after he was threatened with a no-confidence vote.

He has centred his campaign on economic stimulus and national security, tapping into nationalist fervour stoked by deadly border clashes with neighbouring Cambodia.

The third major contender, Pheu Thai, represents the latest incarnation of political movements backed by jailed former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and trades on the populist policies of the Thai Rak Thai party, which held power from 2001 until 2006, when it was ousted by a military coup.

The party has campaigned on economic revival and populist pledges like cash handouts, nominating Thaksin’s nephew, Yodchanan Wongsawat, as its lead candidate for prime minister.

Sunday’s voting also includes a referendum asking voters whether Thailand should replace its 2017 military-drafted constitution.

Pro-democracy groups view a new charter as a critical step towards reducing the influence of unelected institutions, such as the military and judiciary, while conservatives warn that it could lead to instability.

SAVANNAH Guthrie has said she will agree to pay a ransom to the people who are believed to have kidnapped her 84-year-old mom.

The Today Show host filmed a video pleading with Nancy’s suspected captors to return her safely after alleged ransom notes were uncovered.

Nancy’s three children held hands as Savannah made the announcement alongside sister Annie and brother Camron.

She said in the short video: “We received your message, and we understand.

“We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her.

“This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”

read more in Nancy Guthrie

KIDNAP MYSTERY

Police seize car and remove CCTV camera from home of TV star’s missing mum

ON THE TRAIL

Trump reveals ‘very strong’ clues found in hunt for ‘kidnapped’ TV star’s mum

What we know about Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance…

No other details about the ransom were mentioned and it remains unclear if the Guthrie family have been in contact with the suspected kidnappers.

It comes after the alleged captors behind Nancy’s abduction reportedly issued two stern deadline demands.

The first deadline was set for 5pm on Thursday with the demands not met.

Snippets of the alleged ransom note have been reported by various news outlets in recent days.

The letter is said to have demanded millions of dollars in cryptocurrency be transferred to a Bitcoin address.

Law enforcement officials have confirmed that the Bitcoin address provided in the letter is active.

FBI special agent Heith Janke told reporters on Thursday that authorities had reason to believe the note was legitimate.

It contained details about the crime scene, including what Nancy was last wearing as well as mentions of a flood light that activated on the property.

Authorities said the note contained information “only the abductors would know”.

Agent Janke added that there was an additional demand with a deadline set for February 9.

This was described by TMZ as being “much more serious”.

Arizona cops and the FBI are still searching for any signs of Nancy as they continue to build up their case on her disappearance.

US President Donald Trump revealed that the FBI have some “very strong” clues in the search for the missing mom.

When asked what the clues would help with, Trump replied: “I’m not talking about a search. I’m talking about a solution.”

Cops were seen swarming Nancy’s Arizona home on Friday as they seized a car and camera wired to the roof.

FBI agents confiscated an SUV from the property where Guthrie is believed to have been kidnapped sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

A tow truck removed the blue Subaru SUV from her home before cops escorted it to an impound lot near Pima County Sheriff’s Office, according to Fox News.

Investigators did not share why the vehicle had been seized from the property on their third visit to the crime scene.

Forensic teams were also seen scouring the roof of the Tucson property to retrieve the camera that had been missed in several previous searches.

Blood drops were also found on Nancy’s front step, but detectives have not confirmed who the blood belongs to.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has stated the force believes the 84-year-old is “still alive”.

A reward of $50,00 is being offered for any information leading to a breakthrough in the case.

It comes as a man behind fake ransom note texts to the missing woman’s desperate family has been arrested.

Derrick Callella from California was arrested and charged for sending fake text messages demanding payments and making phone calls to Nancy’s family.